BEAUTY Kimberley Glows
Formerit Girls Aloud starAlone Kimberley Walsh is now stepping out on her own. Here she reveals the summer essentials that help her shine in the sun – and the spotlight
After a starring role in London’s West End, When you hit the beach are you a bikini or swimsuit fan? a crowd-pleasing turn in Strictly Come Dancing and a “Bikini, definitely – anything by Melissa Odabash. I am sell-out farewell tour and album with Girls Aloud, smaller through the waist so bikinis flatter my shape. I Kimberley Walsh has the golden touch right now. As have to let it all hang out, but hopefully not too much. the 31-year-old fronts a campaign to help women And I choose tie sides or separates so I can wear a size discover their inner glow, the famously down-to-earth larger on the bottom. I think it’s daft that not all star lets us in on her body and beauty secrets. companies sell tops and bottoms separately.”
Now the dust is starting to settle after a packed year, After months of non-stop dancing, the prospect of have you managed to schedule in some R&R? slipping into your bikini should hold no fear for you… “I’ve been ridiculously busy, so I’m hoping to get a few “I’m in pretty good shape because everything I’ve done holidays in this summer. First off I want to get away with has been very physical, but now that I’ve stopped I my mum, sister and little nephew, so I can spend some definitely have to work out more. I don’t want to let it quality time with him. Then I want to escape and get all go to pot after so much hard work. I am back in the away with Justin [boyfriend Justin Scott] as well.” gym doing lots of toning, light weights, squats and lunges, and then I’ll do a run for half an hour or some Where would you like to escape to this summer? aerobic exercise for 20 minutes to get my cardio in. But “Capri – I have always wanted to go there. And then what I love is the toning – the squats and stuff – because South America, but I think I’d need to take a couple of it really works your muscles and then you keep on months off for that.” burning calories because your muscles keep working.”
Where are you happiest – on holiday or at home? Can you eat whatever you want, then? “Of course I love to go on holiday, but I am happiest at “To a degree – if I work out, then yes. I still have to home. I love that I can come home, shut the door and watch what I eat but I actually like a lot of healthy just be me, if that makes sense. When you do this job foods. If you’re prone to putting weight on you tend to it’s very hard not to feel like you are always on show.” lean towards the healthier options. But if I work out I think it’s fine to have bad days because I know I can get What are your beach beauty essentials? back to the gym and healthy eating afterwards.” “A really bright Essie coral nail polish for my hands and toes – I don’t like boring neutrals. For summer I often Tell us about the Ready to Glow campaign, which go for a long-lasting gel colour on my feet.” features well-known brands such as Veet, Scholl and E45. “It is about looking your best without spending loads of Anything else in your summer make-up bag? money. I really like that. I’ve never been one to fall for “I love not having to wear too much make-up in gimmicks or fads or really expensive beauty products. warmer weather, especially if I have a tan. It gives my I like products that work really well; that’s what counts.” skin a chance to breathe. I prefer peachy, bronze colours and I love a Tom Ford lip colour called Wild Would you say you are quite low maintenance? Ginger; it’s amazing. I’ve looked for a cheaper “I think I am, especially in my private life. I hate going alternative but nothing compares. My favourite to a salon to get stuff done, especially waxing as it’s mascara is Wild About Beauty, which is really embarrassing when you’re in the public eye. So I do my thickening and lengthening. And finally Benefit Hoola own waxing using a Veet plug-in hot wax roll-on, and bronzing powder – nothing too orangey.” even my own pedicures. Hairwise, I go for a simple ☛ 00 PHOTOS: david venni 00 beachy look and love Fudge salt spray to give my hair texture. Rather than washing it every day, I just spray it in at the weekend then scrunch it dry naturally.”
You’ve recently gone shorter and much blonder, what prompted the change? “Well, I’ve been shorter for a while as I got fed up with the same long hair. Lisa Laudat, who has done my hair for ages, added some super blonde tips; I think it’s nicer to be blonder for summer. It feels more fresh and summery and it’s low maintenance, which is great.”
What is your daily beauty routine? “I start with a shower and always do a full body moisturise. I know some people think it’s too much effort, but for me it’s really worth it. I like to apply a body lotion on damp skin so it sinks in quickly, and I don’t believe in it costing lots of money; E45 is one of my favourite products and it suits even sensitive skins.”
And what about that lovely J-Lo-esque glow? Are you a fake tan fan? “I’m lucky that my skin turns brown easily so I don’t really do fake tans. But I look after my skin; I always wear a minimum of SPF30. The truth is, it’s not worth damaging your skin for a tan. My favourite tanning range is Piz Buin; to me, that is the smell of summer.”
How about fragrance? Do you change your perfume according to the weather? “Definitely not. If I change my perfume even for a day people notice,. I guess you could say I have a signature scent. I always wear Marc Jacobs, the original, classic one.”
You seem very loyal. Are you the same with friends? “I have a friend from school who I’ve kept in touch with since we were four or five years old. I am also close to Nicola [Roberts] and Cheryl [Cole]. They’re like sisters to me, we spent so much time together. It’s kind of weird not to be around them so much, so we need to plan a girly holiday together.”
After taking a well-earned rest, what is next for you? “It’s kind of a big time for me. With Girls Aloud over I can concentrate on me and what I want, which is musical theatre, films and acting. It’s where I began and what I really want to do, so I’ve come full circle.”
• For more information, visit readytoglow.co.uk.
Kimberley’s glow-getters The busy star treats us to a quick peek at the go-to favourites on her bathroom shelf and inside her make-up bag
1. Marc Jacobs Woman, £75 for 100ml 2. Scholl Express Pedi, £39.99 3. Essie Meet Me at Sunset nail colour, £7.99, from Boots 4. Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder, £23.50, “I’ve used this for years; it’s still my favourite bronzer” 5. Tom Ford Lipstick in Wild Ginger, £36, “It’s expensive but, oh, it’s worth it” 6. Fudge Sea Salt Spray, £11.45, “Gives my hair that messy, beach texture” 7. Optrex Actimist Eyespray, £3.90, “Essential for flying, especially long haul, as well as for hotels 00 with air-con and for when I am just plain tired” 8. E45 Nourish and Restore Body Lotion, £3.99 9. Wild About Beauty Mascara, £18, “From the new range by Louise Redknapp, and I really like it” 10. Veet Easy Electrical Wax, £29.99 11. Piz Buin 1 Day Long SPF30, £12.99